Modern vehicles include a variety of sensors, via which information about the surroundings of the vehicle may be obtained. In order to guarantee a safe operation of the vehicle systems, which rely on obtained data, it must be ensured that the sensors of the vehicle are correctly calibrated.
A method for checking a surroundings detection system of a vehicle is discussed in EP 2 793 045 A1. Objects are detected with a first surroundings sensor type and are categorized as static and dynamic objects. In addition, the position of the detected static objects relative to the vehicle is determined. This position is subsequently compared to a relative position ascertained using a second surroundings sensor type. The method also takes an egomotion of the vehicle into account, so that it is not necessary for the sensor of the first surroundings sensor type to detect the object at the same time as the sensor of the second surroundings sensor type.
A method for the self-localization of a vehicle is discussed in DE 10 2015 009 869 A1. In this method, successive images are detected and an instantaneous position of the vehicle is ascertained based on positions deposited and assigned to the images. For this purpose, image features that are suitable for a self-localization, for example, a roadway marking or a manhole cover, are extracted in the images. The images may be detected, for example, with a stereo camera.
A method is discussed in WO 2012/052308 A1, with which the base width of a stereo detection system may be determined. In this system it is provided to detect an object in the vehicle surroundings and to determine a dimension of the object and the distance to the vehicle via the stereo detection system. The ascertained dimension is compared with a reference dimension of the object determined at a reference distance. Suitable for the comparison are, in particular, objects having standardized dimensions, such as traffic signs and license plates having a known height.
The disadvantage of methods in the related art is that a calibration of a sensor requires either an additional sensor system independent of the sensor or that the systems are reliant on the presence of standardized and known markers.